Learning objectives
Knowledge and understanding: the aim of the course is to introduce the student to the basic knowledge of the crystalline solids, ranging from the symmetry of their periodic structures to the thermodynamics and kinetics of their formation and reactivity, from the radiation-matter interaction that originates the scattering process, to the most common diffraction techniques at the basis of their characterization. Moreover, the chemical reactivity of solids is widely treated, ranging from solid state reactions to sol-gel processes, from preparation of nanoparticles or thin films to surface functionalization. The laboratory offer to the student the opportunity to plane different experiments from the point of view of the researcher, going well beyond the simple replica of a given phenomenon.
Knowledge and applied comprehension: the course supplies the instruments to predict and interpretate the behavior of solids on the basis of the structural properties as a function of the surrounding conditions and to elaborate scientific data using advanced methods. The acquired basis of the inorganic chemistry are applied to the preparation of materials and devices planning the experiment with the adequate methodology.Making judgments. The student should be able to organize an experimental activity and to choose the appropriate preparation and characterization technique, by critically considering his personal knowledge and capability, and to evaluate the experimental results basing on his personal judgment. Learning ability: The course supplies the methodological instruments and the basic language of solid-state chemistry that are necessary to deal with specific basic and advanced texts. The student should be able to deal with new scientific or professional topics by learning autonomously, retrieving the necessary information in literature, databases and internet Communication ability: the student acquires the technical language that is necessary to discuss with specialists and to communicate in written and oral form chemical/scientific issues, even in English and utilizing multimedia systems, when interacting with other persons or working in a group.
Prerequisites
none
Course unit content
The course introduces the student to the fundamental aspects of the solid state chemistry and of the inorganic material chemistry. The contents of the lectures range in the first case from the origin of the periodicity in the crystal state to the crystallization process and to the origination of amorphous material, from the fundamental rules of symmetry to the space groups, from the scattering phenomenon to the diffraction in crystals, from the classification of the crystal structures to the factors entailing them, from polymorphisms and phase transitions to the chemical reactivity in the solid state, to the sintering of ceramics. In the second case, starting from the basic aspects of the inorganic chemistry, the course tackles from a theoretical and practical point of view a series of applications in the field of materials. The arguments of lectures and laboratory experiments range from sol-gel techniques to the preparation of nanoparticles, from thin film preparation to surface functionalization, to the assembling of a simple photovoltaic cell.
Full programme
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Bibliography
The notes of lectures and laboratories and all the supporting materials are made available to students and shared on Elly platform. In addition the student can personally go further on some of the topics discussed during the course in the following book: Solid state chemistry and its applications
John Wiley & Sons Ltd., Chichester
Teaching methods
The didactic activities of Solid State Chemistry consist of frontal lessons, in which the course topics are proposed from the theoretical point of view and illustrated with examples and exercises. During the activity of the “Laboratorio di Chimica dei Materiali Inorganici”, the student conducts personally the experiments, planning them from the point of view of the researcher, going well beyond the simple replica of a given phenomenon. The slides and notes used to support the lessons will be uploaded to the Elly Platform in agreement with the sequence of the arguments of the scheduled lectures. The download of this material is possible only for on-line registered students.
Assessment methods and criteria
The final verification of the knowledge requires that the student register for the two partial exams of “Laboratorio di Chimica dei Materiali Inorganici” and “Solid State Chemistry”, passing both. The first consists of the correction of the written laboratory reports presented by the student and in their discussion in an oral examination. The second consists in an oral exam on the arguments treated in the lectures. In both cases the oral exam aims to verify the acquired knowledge and the communication skills. The final mark is calculated, roundin up, as the average of the two partial marks.
Other information
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